Denial
by Melissa Black13
Summary: Part 9 of the Romy Chronicles. Another slight encounter with Gambit leads Rogue, with the help of Kitty, to determine that she might be in denial.


**A/N: I suggest that you read all previous parts of the Romy Chronicles before you read this one.**

Disclaimer: The characters and plotlines of X-Men Evolution unfortunately don't belong to moi. Also, this idea of chronicling certain events in a characters' life doesn't belong to me either. Full credit goes to Deandra who writes awesome Lord of the Rings stories. I got this idea from her and I suggest you go read her stuff.

**Summary:** Another slight encounter with Gambit leads Rogue to determine that she might be in denial.

The Romy Chronicles

Part 9: Denial

"Rogue? _Ro-ogue?_" came Kitty's slightly exasperated voice.

"Hmm?" Rogue blinked rapidly, finally focusing on her friend's face.

Kitty's expression looked to be a toss up between annoyed and concerned. "Have you been listening to a word I've said in the last minute?"

Rogue, who had been staring thoughtfully into space for said minute, hadn't actually been listening but knew what Kitty had been talking about anyway. "Yah wanna ask Lance tah the prom but yah're worried that he'll think it's lame and won't want tah go tah it with yah," she listed off, taking the last sip of her Caramel Swirl Latte. The two were sitting in one of Bayville's local coffee shops, having stopped in after a particularly long day of school. The other occupants of the crowded café consisted mainly of their high school classmates, and though the two known mutants drew more than a few wary glances, they weren't bothered.

Kitty seemed surprised and confused by Rogue's response. "Well…yeah," she confirmed, casting Rogue a wary look. It obviously didn't concern her much though as she immediately launched back into her story. "Anyway, ever since Apocalypse, Lance has been totally sweet to me! But we haven't, you know, officially gotten back together. What if he doesn't want to go to prom with me? I wouldn't really want to go with anyone else," she confessed quietly, looking to Rogue with her big brown doe eyes.

Sympathy didn't come naturally to Rogue, but hearing her friend speak so hesitantly made her want to give as much reassurance as she could. "Ah'm sure if yah just asked him, Lance would go with yah. Honestly, the boy's liked yah for ages, Kitty," she told her confidently and was rewarded as the sparkle came back into Kitty's eyes.

"Really? You think so?" she asked, getting that swoony look in her eyes that all couples had. Personally, it made Rogue want to gag. But still, Kitty was her best friend so the look had to be tolerated.

"Yup and Ah think that yah should go call Lance now and ask him. Before some hussy swoops in and digs her claws into him," Rogue added, hoping Kitty would take the bait.

"What?! You think someone _else_ might ask him?" And sure enough, Rogue had her hooked. Kitty's eyes flared dangerously as she slid herself out of the booth they were sitting in. "I'll be right back," she said, grabbing her cell phone off the table and striding to the exit. The bell above the door tinkled as Kitty left the café. Rogue could see her dialing her cell phone at a furious pace before holding it up to her ear.

Rogue allowed herself a small triumphant smile and turned back to her previous state of staring out the window. She had taken to doing that a lot lately. What she thought she would see Rogue had no idea. All she knew was that, ever since she'd seen Gambit downtown last week, her imagination was in overdrive; i.e. she heard motorcycles every time she was driving or like the time she thought she saw the flash of a brown trench coat once but when she turned back, there was no trace of it. It was like her mind was playing tricks on her. _Maybe_ _it's not the only thing playin' tricks on meh,_ Rogue thought darkly. She was almost 100 certain that Gambit was still hanging around Bayville. For what reason though, Rogue couldn't even begin to fathom and it frustrated her just thinking about it.

The bell about the door jingled again and Rogue, thinking Kitty might be coming back inside, turned to look at it. Someone in a brown trench coat was slipping quickly out the door. Rogue jumped out of her seat as the person made his way past Kitty, who was still chatting incessantly on her phone, without incident and disappeared beyond the café's window. If Rogue's eyes hadn't deceived her, which was hard to tell these days, Gambit had just been inside the café a second ago. Had he known she was here? Had he been watching her and Kitty from afar? Or had he just happened upon the café by accident and wanted something to drink? Rogue sank back onto the booth and held her face in her hands, feeling more frustrated than ever.

Suddenly, someone next to her cleared their throat pointedly. Rogue looked up to see one of the café's staff had ventured over to her and Kitty's table. He looked increasingly uncomfortable under Rogue's stare and pulled on his uniform collar a bit. "Uh, another Caramel Swirl Latte?" he asked nervously, setting another styrofoam coffee cup on the table next to Rogue's empty one.

She looked questioningly from the latte to the guy. "Ah didn't order another latte," she told him.

"I-it's already b-been taken care of," he stuttered out, swallowing hard and looking as though he'd rather be anywhere than in her presence.

Rogue ignored his nervousness and instead narrowed her eyes and looked at his suspiciously. "By who?" she asked.

"H-he didn't give me a name," he said tensely, eyes darting around rapidly. "He said you'd know…Oh, and he told me to give you this," he remembered, pulling something thin and rectangular out of his pocket and handing it to Rogue.

She took it carefully in one of her gloved hands. A card. Hesitantly, she flipped it over. The King of Hearts. Rogue let out a little gasp of surprise. But that wasn't all. 7 digits had been hand written in the left hand corner of the playing card, and there was no question about what they represented. If Rogue had been confused before, her mind was definitely boggled now. What was Gambit playing at exactly? She was so distracted by her thoughts that she failed to realize that the café guy had hurried away.

Did Gambit actually expect her to call him? she wondered, truly stumped. Sure, she had mildly forgiven him for deceiving her down in New Orleans, but it wasn't like the two of them were friends. In fact, Rogue had no idea what they were. He had come closer to breaking through the barriers she had so painstakingly built around herself than anyone at the Institute had, save a few. And there was no denying the attraction she felt towards him or the connection that existed between them. But in all seriousness, it would probably be best for her, for both of them, if she kept her distance, which meant throwing the card away.

"—sooo excited!...yup…'kay, pick me up at 7?...Don't worry, I'll make sure Mr. Logan will let you through the gate this time…'kay, see you then! Bye!" Kitty's chipper voice grew louder as she made her way back to her and Rogue's table. Rogue stiffened and tried to discreetly hide Gambit's card but her friend was already sliding back into the booth. Luckily for Rogue, she didn't notice anything amiss and started chattering on excitedly. "Oh, you'll never believe it, Rogue. Lance told me he'd been dying to ask me for to prom for weeks! He told me there was no one he'd rather go with! Isn't that sweet? And to top it all off, he asked me to go to the movies tonight! Oh my god, what am I going to wear? Oh I have just the perfect top—what's that?"

Kitty's question pierced the Kitty-induced-fog that filled Rogue's brain and she redirected her attention to where Kitty was staring at the King of Hearts on the table top. Her first thought was to act calm but anxiety and her reflexes won over. "Nothing," she blurted out, quickly covering the card with her gloved hand.

Unfortunately for Rogue however, Kitty was as curious a cat as they come and saw right through Rogue's lie. Using her powers, she phased her hand through Rogue's and grabbed the card out from underneath it. Her eyes widened almost comically as she studied the card, and what was written on it, intently.

"Oh my gosh!" she squealed, making Rogue grimace. "Is this what I think it is? Is that who's _number_ I think it is?! Oh my gosh! It's Gambit's isn't it?" When Rogue refused to answer or make eye contact, Kitty made a fist pumping gesture. "It is!"

"Kitty, hush up," Rogue growled, glancing around the café. "People are startin' tah stare."

"Like I care," Kitty said. "This is too exciting! What's he doing back in Bayville? Oh my gosh! Are you going to call him? Tell me you're going to call him! You have to!"

"No, Ah am _not_ gonna call him," Rogue snapped, snatching the card away from her friend.

"What?" Kitty asked, sounding outraged. "Oh, come on. You know you want to."

"No, Ah most certainly do not."

"Yes you do. Why else would you be taking the card back?" Kitty asked, smugly.

Rogue opened her mouth to respond, but, finding she didn't have a good answer, clamped it shut.

Kitty smiled. "Mm hm," she said. "That's what I thought. The Nile isn't just, like, a river in Egypt, Rogue."

"Ah am not in denial!" Rogue practically shouted. Finding that the eyes of almost everyone in the room were on her, she grimaced and leaned closer to Kitty. "Ah am not in denial," she hissed, much quieter this time. "And if yah were smart, yah'd shut yer little trap about this."

Kitty rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to tell anyone, Rogue," she told her, deflating now that she couldn't have her fun. "Come on," she added, starting to gather her belongings. "We have to get back to the Mansion. Wouldn't want you to be late for training again…Oh my gosh," Kitty said, realization dawning on her face. "Was that why you were late for practice the other day? Did you see Gambit?"

Rogue sighed inwardly. "Ah only saw him for a second on the street," she replied reluctantly. "But that wasn't the reason Ah was late," she hurried to add.

"Mm hm," Kitty said again, with obvious doubt.

"Yah're ridiculous," Rogue told her, grabbing her backpack and stalking away from her friend.

Kitty followed, wisely not speaking another word about Gambit the whole way home. Unfortunately for Rogue, he was the only subject on her mind. And although she didn't want to admit it, Kitty's words struck true. She was in denial.

* * *

Well, it's only taken me, what, a year to update my chronicles? Yeah, I suck. I'm really sorry everyone!! My freshman year of school got in the way and I just couldn't find time to write. And now I'm going back to school so I really don't know when I'll have time to put out Part 10. I hope it's not another year. Anyway, I just wanted to get this out to you guys. It's probably asking a lot but I hope you guys will review! Thanks in advance if you do. Until next time…whenever that may be.

Melissa


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